Better late than never

Organizers to hold meetings about Altadena’s secession from PUSD

Saying they have more than 7,000 valid signatures, supporters of a long-dormant proposal to have Altadena split from the Pasadena Unified School District will be hosting two community meetings, the first one set for Tuesday.

“These meetings are intended to encourage an atmosphere of mutual respect for an open discussion of the ways that forming an AUSD will and will not represent the best way to get all of Altadena’s students on the road to success in college in a few short years,” Chief Petitioner Bruce Wasson wrote on his Web site, altadenaschools.net.

Tuesday’s meeting is set for 7 p.m. at Café Culture, 1359 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena. The last meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 20 at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake Ave., Altadena.

As of March 14, 7,062 signatures had been gathered, according to Wasson. But according to Daniel Villanueva, assistant director of the division of business advisory services of the LA County Office of Education (LACOE), Wasson has not yet submitted the completed petitions. Also included in the Pasadena district is Sierra Madre.

Wasson declined to comment, referring calls for information to his Web site.

Once the Local Agency Formation Commission for the County of Los Angeles (LAFCO) receives the petitions and verifies the signatures, the county will conduct a feasibility study. The county will also hold community meetings during this period. If the county determines that the formation of an AUSD would harm PUSD in any way, the petition would be denied.

The study would focus on the fiscal condition of the school district as it relates to the creation of a new district. It would also determine the number of students expected to attend schools in the new district.

After that, the county Board of Education will vote to either deny or approve the petition. If approved, the state Board of Education will decide whether the secession effort should proceed. If things get that far, the matter will come back before Altadenans for a vote.